The dog days of August typically push the NHL somewhere onto the back burner of the barbecue, back with that extra veggie burger and the tofu skewer you threw on there, just in case, and in which nobody has an interest, not even the dog.

Not here in Ottawa.

Step up to the bar or onto the first tee or check your Twitter and the Senators are usually the topic du jour and it’s not a pleasant conversation.

I’ve been around the Senators since that first announcement from Terrace Investments in June of 1989 of its intention to pursue an NHL expansion team, and this is about as bad as it’s been when it comes to the feeling of pessimism around the team.

It starts with ownership, of course. It is purely anecdotal, but I have had conversations with long-time season ticket holders, who have held tickets both privately and corporately, who are not renewing this season because of their feelings about ownership.